Comments on: Is Sun Preparing to Take on Cisco? http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/ The weblog of an IT pro specializing in virtualization, storage, and servers Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:13:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Marc Richards http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43849 Marc Richards Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:48:31 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43849 Jonathon Schwartz's <a href="http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/entry/commercial_innovation_3_of_4" rel="nofollow">latest blog entry</a> pretty much confirms this move: <blockquote>general purpose microprocessors and operating systems are now fast enough to eliminate the need for special purpose devices. That means you can build a router out of a server...</blockquote> <blockquote>we now build our entire line of storage systems from general purpose server parts, including Solaris and ZFS, our open source file system....We are planning a similar line of networking platforms, based around the silicon and software you can already find in our portfolio.</blockquote> @Wade I think this is the perfect time for them to make this move. The recession is forcing business to reevaluate their purchases to make sure they are getting value for money. This lines up perfectly with what Sun is proposing. I suspect than Sun will use the relauched <a href="http://www.network.com/" rel="nofollow">network.com</a> (just six days away) as a proving ground for this technology Jonathon Schwartz’s latest blog entry pretty much confirms this move:

general purpose microprocessors and operating systems are now fast enough to eliminate the need for special purpose devices. That means you can build a router out of a server…

we now build our entire line of storage systems from general purpose server parts, including Solaris and ZFS, our open source file system….We are planning a similar line of networking platforms, based around the silicon and software you can already find in our portfolio.

@Wade
I think this is the perfect time for them to make this move. The recession is forcing business to reevaluate their purchases to make sure they are getting value for money. This lines up perfectly with what Sun is proposing.

I suspect than Sun will use the relauched network.com (just six days away) as a proving ground for this technology

]]> By: Wade O'Harrow http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43830 Wade O'Harrow Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:30:01 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43830 Very interesting concept. Sun taking on Cisco... However, as Red Hat showed us open source code is nice, but not quickly adopted by large mainstream companies. (while RedHat is actually doing quite well, everyone in the beginning thought RHEL would damage Microsoft. In reality they are growing by replacing Sun!) This is more of a last ditch effort for Sun to try to establish some sort of new Brand identity in the market. A once proud Brand which has been reduced to a shadow of itself. As for Cisco with their marketshare and the amount of product already deployed, an open source product from Sun will likely have a minimal impact. A better question.... is Sun trying to be just enough of an annoyence to Cisco to make itself a more attractive acquisition target? Sun has been losing marketshare and spinning out of control for years, does anyone really think they make it to the other side of this recession? Many would probably say they never really recovered from the last recession. And I can't believe that Cisco is raising all that Cash to just buy Flip, the digital video camera maker. Very interesting concept. Sun taking on Cisco… However, as Red Hat showed us open source code is nice, but not quickly adopted by large mainstream companies. (while RedHat is actually doing quite well, everyone in the beginning thought RHEL would damage Microsoft. In reality they are growing by replacing Sun!) This is more of a last ditch effort for Sun to try to establish some sort of new Brand identity in the market. A once proud Brand which has been reduced to a shadow of itself. As for Cisco with their marketshare and the amount of product already deployed, an open source product from Sun will likely have a minimal impact. A better question…. is Sun trying to be just enough of an annoyence to Cisco to make itself a more attractive acquisition target? Sun has been losing marketshare and spinning out of control for years, does anyone really think they make it to the other side of this recession? Many would probably say they never really recovered from the last recession. And I can’t believe that Cisco is raising all that Cash to just buy Flip, the digital video camera maker.

]]> By: Nate http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43827 Nate Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:53:13 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43827 If Sun decides to play in that realm, the once pretty empty sector realm is going to start getting crowded. Juniper is really starting to get some steam with its EX series of switching gear, and is setting up to be Cisco's prime competition. They bring a lot of background knowledge from their successful carrier grade product lines into their enterprise gear, so they shape up to be perhaps the most capable of jockying against Cisco. Now with the two big boys going at it, Sun could either sneak in while they are distracted or find there isn't really any room for them in the market. If Sun decides to play in that realm, the once pretty empty sector realm is going to start getting crowded. Juniper is really starting to get some steam with its EX series of switching gear, and is setting up to be Cisco’s prime competition. They bring a lot of background knowledge from their successful carrier grade product lines into their enterprise gear, so they shape up to be perhaps the most capable of jockying against Cisco. Now with the two big boys going at it, Sun could either sneak in while they are distracted or find there isn’t really any room for them in the market.

]]> By: David Magda http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43826 David Magda Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:49:30 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43826 Remember that Andy Bechtolsheim is Chairman and Chief Development Officer of Arista, a highspeed networking start up he's partly funding: http://www.aristanetworks.com/en/Management_Team He's only working at Sun 'part-time', but is still on the payroll AFAIK. Remember that Andy Bechtolsheim is Chairman and Chief Development Officer of Arista, a highspeed networking start up he’s partly funding:

http://www.aristanetworks.com/en/Management_Team

He’s only working at Sun ‘part-time’, but is still on the payroll AFAIK.

]]> By: slowe http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43825 slowe Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:07:01 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43825 Ed, You might think that, but--if I'm understanding things correctly--this isn't just about getting into the networking market by OEM'ing other companies products. It's about pushing Sun's core technology portfolio--Solaris, Solaris Zones, Crossbow, etc.--into entirely new markets. Alessandro, I agree, but I'll respond with the same statement again--I think it's really about creating new market demand for their existing technologies, and to do that they need to push Solaris, Zones, xVM, Crossbow, etc. Acquiring Vyatta would mean a lengthy acquisition/integration process, and if Sun has ANY chance to succeed they cannot afford a delay. Bill, I guess that's the $64,000 question, isn't it? Ed,

You might think that, but–if I’m understanding things correctly–this isn’t just about getting into the networking market by OEM’ing other companies products. It’s about pushing Sun’s core technology portfolio–Solaris, Solaris Zones, Crossbow, etc.–into entirely new markets.

Alessandro,

I agree, but I’ll respond with the same statement again–I think it’s really about creating new market demand for their existing technologies, and to do that they need to push Solaris, Zones, xVM, Crossbow, etc. Acquiring Vyatta would mean a lengthy acquisition/integration process, and if Sun has ANY chance to succeed they cannot afford a delay.

Bill,

I guess that’s the $64,000 question, isn’t it?

]]> By: Bill Marren http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43824 Bill Marren Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:48:34 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43824 How on earth would Cisco respond if Sun started introducing products with better performance, at a fraction of the price, built on high volume open source adoption? How on earth would Cisco respond if Sun started introducing products with better performance, at a fraction of the price, built on high volume open source adoption?

]]> By: Rational Survivability http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43823 Rational Survivability Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:49:22 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43823 <strong>Sun vs. Cisco? I'm Getting My Popcorn......</strong> Scott Lowe wrote an interesting blog today wondering if Sun was preparing to take on Cisco in the virtualization space, referencing the development of virtualized networking functionality featuring the novel combination of commodity hardware and open s... Sun vs. Cisco? I’m Getting My Popcorn……

Scott Lowe wrote an interesting blog today wondering if Sun was preparing to take on Cisco in the virtualization space, referencing the development of virtualized networking functionality featuring the novel combination of commodity hardware and open s…

]]> By: Alessandro Perilli http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43820 Alessandro Perilli Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:57:00 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43820 Interesting. Cisco is preparing to enter the server market with codename California while Sun is preparing to enter the networking market. If the company really wants to compete with Cisco using open source software than they may be targeting Vyatta for acquisition. And that, considering their upcoming server virtualization offering, would be interesting. Interesting.
Cisco is preparing to enter the server market with codename California while Sun is preparing to enter the networking market.

If the company really wants to compete with Cisco using open source software than they may be targeting Vyatta for acquisition.
And that, considering their upcoming server virtualization offering, would be interesting.

]]> By: Ed C. http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/comment-page-1/#comment-43818 Ed C. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:38:10 +0000 http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/03/09/is-sun-preparing-to-take-on-cisco/#comment-43818 I would think that partnering with a Juniper or Foundry-type company and OEMing equipment from those companies would be a more prudent move than venturing on their own to create new network devices. I would think that partnering with a Juniper or Foundry-type company and OEMing equipment from those companies would be a more prudent move than venturing on their own to create new network devices.

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